Difference between revisions of "Pastor"

<p> PASTOR, [[Shepherd]] </p> <p> A well-known office of the Lord Jesus Christ. The [[Holy]] Ghost delights to set forth Jesus under this lovely character in all his word. Sometimes he represents him as the Great Shepherd, (&nbsp;Hebrews 13:20) —and sometimes he calls him the Good Shepherd, which giveth his life for the sheep, (&nbsp;John 10:11) —and by his servant the prophet Zechariah, he calls him JEHOVAH'S Shepherd, (&nbsp;Zechariah 13:7) —and by Peter, the Chief Shepherd, holding him forth to the under pastors of his flock as a glorious pattern for them to follow, assuring them that when the Chief Shepherd shall appear "they shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (&nbsp;1 Peter 5:4) And to distinguish him from every other, and as the only Shepherd of JEHOVAH, to whom the flock is given, and who alone was, and is, able to purchase it with his blood, and to preserve it by his power, by his servant the prophet Ezekiel, he is expressly called the one Shepherd; "I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them." (&nbsp;Ezekiel 34:23) </p> <p> The Holy Ghost hath not only thus delighted to mark the sweet features of his character, but hath given the several features also of his office. "He shall feed his flock" (saith the Lord, by the prophet Isaiah, &nbsp;Isaiah 40:11) "like a shepherd." And how is that? Surely, from a knowledge of their persons, their wants, their desires, their abilities, Jesus graciously makes suitable provision for every one, and for all. It is his flock the church, both from the Father's gift, his own purchase, the conquests of his grace, and the voluntary willingness of his people in the day of his power. "He calleth his own sheep by name:" they shall all pass (saith the Holy Ghost, by the prophet Jeremiah, &nbsp;Jeremiah 33:13) "under the hands of him that telleth them." Hence, from a knowledge of their number, their persons, their wants, and necessities, it is impossible that one can be overlooked, forgotten, neglected, or lost. He saith himself, "My sheep shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." Oh, the precious office and character of the Lord Jesus as the [[Pastor]] and Shepherd of his people! He feeds, he protects, he heals, he watches over, restores when wandering, and gathers them out from all places whither they have wandered in the cloudy and dark day, and leads them in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake. </p> <p> Jesus hath his under pastors also, by whom he feeds and directs his flock; hence the Lord, by Jeremiah, promised,"I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which, shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." (&nbsp;Jeremiah 3:15) And a whole chapter is spent by the prophet Ezekiel, (&nbsp;Ezekiel 34:1-31, in reproving the evil pastors who abused their office, and fed themselves of the flock, and not their people. Sometimes princes and governors are called pastors; thus David is said to have been taken from the sheepfold to be ruler over the Lord's people Israel. (&nbsp;2 Samuel 7:8) </p>

<p> Literally a shepherd; figuratively a stated minister appointed to watch over and instruct a congregation. Of the qualifications of ministers we have already made some remarks under that article; but the following, taken from the works of a spiritual and useful writer, we hope, will not be found superfluous. Jesus Christ's description of an evangelical pastor, &nbsp;Matthew 24:45 , includes two things, faithfulness and prudence. "If a minister be faithful, he deceives not others; and if he be prudent, he is not apt to be deceived himself. His prudence suffers not deceivers easily to impose upon him; and his faithfulness will not suffer him knowingly to impose upon his people. His prudence will enable him to discern, and his faithfulness oblige him to distribute wholesome food to his flock. But more particularly, </p> <p> 1. "Ministerial faithfulness includes pure and spiritual aims and intentions for God, &nbsp;Philippians 2:20-21 . </p> <p> 2. Personal sincerity, or integrity of heart, &nbsp;Nehemiah 9:8 . &nbsp;1 Corinthians 2:12 . </p> <p> 3. [[Diligence]] in the discharge of duty, &nbsp;Matthew 25:21 . &nbsp;1 Timothy 5:21 . </p> <p> 5. An unshaken constancy and perseverance to the end, &nbsp;Revelation 2:10 . But the Lord's servants must not only be faithful, but prudent, discreet, and wise. [[Fidelity]] and honesty make a good Christian; but the addition of prudence to fidelity makes a good steward. [[Faithfulness]] will fix the eye upon the right end; but it is prudence must direct to the proper means of attaining it. </p> <p> The use of prudence to a minister is unspeakably great: it not only gives clearness and perspicacity to the mind, by freeing it from passions and corporeal impressions, enabling it thereby to apprehend what is best to be done, but enables it in its deliberations about the means to make choice of the most apt and proper; and directs the application of them in the fittest season, without precipitation by too much haste, or hazard by too tedious delay. 2. "Prudence will direct us to lay a good foundation of knowledge in our people's souls by catechising and instructing them in the principles of Christianity, without which we labour in vain. </p> <p> 2. Ministerial prudence discovers itself in the choice of such subjects as the needs of our people's souls do most require and call for. </p> <p> 3. It will not only direct us in the choice of our subjects, but of the language, too, in which we dress and deliver them to our people. </p> <p> 4. It will show us of what great use our own affections are for the moving of others; and will therefore advise us, that, if ever we expect the truths we preach should operate upon the hearts of others, we must first have them impressed on our own hearts, &nbsp;Philippians 3:18 . </p> <p> 5. It will direct us to be careful, by the strictness and gravity of our deportment, to maintain our esteem in the consciences of our people. </p> <p> 6. It will excite us to seek a blessing from God upon our studies and labours, as knowing all our ministerial success entirely depends thereupon." &nbsp;1 Corinthians 3:7 . </p> <p> See Flavel's Character of an [[Evangelical]] Pastor, in the second [[Volume]] of his Works, p. 763, fol. ed. and books under article MINISTRY. </p>

<div> '''1: ποιμήν ''' (Strong'S #4166 — Noun Masculine — poimen — poy-mane' ) </div> <p> "a shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks" (not merely one who feeds them), is used metaphorically of Christian "pastors," &nbsp;Ephesians 4:11 . "Pastors" guide as well as feed the flock; cp. &nbsp;Acts 20:28 , which, with ver. 17, indicates that this was the service committed to elders (overseers or bishops); so also in &nbsp;1 Peter 5:1,2 , "tend the flock ... exercising the oversight," RV; this involves tender care and vigilant superintendence. See Shepherd. </p>

<p> ''''' pas´tẽr ''''' ( רעה , <i> ''''' rō‛eh ''''' </i> ; ποιμήν , <i> ''''' poimḗn ''''' </i> ; literally, a helper, or feeder of the sheep (the King James Version &nbsp; Jeremiah 2:8; &nbsp;Jeremiah 3:15; &nbsp;Jeremiah 10:21; &nbsp;Jeremiah 12:10; &nbsp;Jeremiah 17:16; &nbsp;Jeremiah 22:22; &nbsp;Jeremiah 23:1 , &nbsp;Jeremiah 23:2 , and in &nbsp;Ephesians 4:11 , the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American))): Besides the literal sense the word has now a figurative meaning and refers to the minister appointed over a congregation. This latter meaning is recognized in the translation of the King James Version. See [[Ministry]] . </p>

<p> (רֹעֶה, ''Roch,'' from רָעָה, ''To Feed,'' &nbsp;Jeremiah 2:8; &nbsp;Jeremiah 3:15; &nbsp;Jeremiah 10:21; &nbsp;Jeremiah 12:10; &nbsp;Jeremiah 17:16; &nbsp;Jeremiah 22:22; &nbsp;Jeremiah 23:1-2; ποιμήν, &nbsp;Ephesians 4:11), ''A Shepherd'' (as elsewhere rendered). Besides this literal sense, the word is' employed figuratively in the [[Scriptures]] in somewhat the same way as it is now used to denote a stated minister appointed to watch over and instruct a congregation. (See Shepherd). </p>